


Soldier Keep On

by rareformofwolfsbane



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Eventual Fluff, Hurt Alec Lightwood, Hurt Simon Lewis, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 21:34:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20785379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rareformofwolfsbane/pseuds/rareformofwolfsbane
Summary: The demon smirks and Alec feels his glare deepen, jaw working to bite back the sounds as the dagger is slowly drawn from his side, the grip around his hand making it impossible to let go of the weapon.“Too slow.”





	Soldier Keep On

* * *

“Just for the record,” started Simon as they picked their way through the winding dank sewer of New York - a hotspot for demon activity; low level, perfect for the greenest of shadow hunters to hone their skills. “I think this a _terrible_ idea.”

Alec rolled his eyes as Simon tripped on a water-rotten board and turned unimpressed eyes on Jace who smoothed a hand across a grin. The same hand shot out to force the vampire into a duck to avoid walking backwards into a low hanging bar as he looked about the place.

“The only thing terrible is your awareness.”

It was Alec’s turn to smirk as Simon sputtered in offence. He tuned out the back and forth of their banter to focus his hearing further than this tunnel, idly wondering if the charged atmosphere was noticeable to them as it was to everyone else.

It- Alec paused the same time Jace did, throwing up a hand to stall Simons question.

The chittering of multiple demons echoed ominously from the dark and Simon fidgeted.

“Not to be a buzzkill but, I think I’d rather face off against one of Valentines men, or-or even Raphael. Or better yet, you guys, that’s not.. Here.”

Jace snorted, his seraph blade extending. “For once, I actually agree with you,” he faced Simon with his _very serious face number-six_ which filled Simon with hope that they were going to turn right around and leave. “This is the fifth jacket in the last month I’ve ruined.”

Or not. 

Alec covered his sharp bark of laughter with a cough as he examined the ichor on the tunnel wall, fully aware of the gesture Simon sent towards them and waved towards the darkness ahead.

“The tunnel divides through there-“ Alec notched an arrow- “Simon, you-“ a faint pleading sound came from Simons throat and Alec sighed. “-go with Jace. We’ll meet back here once the demons are cleared-“

“-What about you?”

Jace clapped a hand on Simons shoulder, steering him around to the right hand side of the divide.

“This is a cake walk, Alec will be fine. You, on the other hand..”

And it was a simple task. Often Jace and Alec would come to these parts of the sewers to burn off some energy. Izzy and Clary would occasionally join them, but they had their own haunt for ‘girl time’; apparently it was the perfect place for gossiping.

Alec readied his bow, the string drawn tight and let out a low, sharp whistle.

The sound carried and echoed back.

Alec’s heartbeat sounded almost deafening in the sudden quiet as the chittering stopped, and he let out a breath.

He released the arrow.

A screech bounced off the walls, followed by a wet thump as the arrow struck true and the chittering started up anew, angry, like a swarm of bees disturbed from their hive.

Smirking with anticipation, Alec swung his bow onto his shoulder, reaching for his duel daggers. The blades extended in a flourish of light that illuminated the small space, revealing the demons crawling out of the dense darkness.

* * *

Alec stretched his neck as the last demon dispersed in a roll of fire and cloud of smoke, wiping the ichor from his blade along his thigh. One dagger was lost in the fight, knocked out of his hand as he copped an unlucky shot to the ribs. Alec took a breath, face drawn in a grimace. His muscles ached and there wasn’t a part of him that didn’t feel bruised, but it was satisfying.

He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and winced, slowing the movement as his left shoulder spasmed, and pulled out his witch light. The night vision rune was still active, but it was fading.

_There. _Alec spotted the fallen weapon but- the air suddenly feels oppressive, there are eyes on him and Alec’s attention is pulled to the deepest shadows. He shifts his weight on the balls of his feet, eyes narrowed and searching. 

Hands tighten on his seraph and he tosses the witch light further into the sewer. It rolls to a stop and Alec’s shoulders draw tight as a laugh echoes back, menacing and feral as the light glints off sharp teeth. 

“Why Shadow Hunter, what are you doing here and so… _alone_?”

Alec ducks, leg sweeping out as claws strike where his head was moments ago. He kicks out, catches the demon by the thigh and follows through by stabbing it deep in the shoulder as it stumbles, using the momentum to pull himself up and kick of its chest. The dagger pulls free with a sickening squelch and Alec’s quick to put distance between them. 

Ichor slides and drips from the tip of his dagger in steady drops, but the demon doesn’t look like it had been affected at all. Alec himself feels his breath coming in laboured gasps and he can’t help the panic thrum in his veins. He should not be this exhausted already. The demons were barely a warm up!

He doesn’t know if it’s the fumes of the ichor or the very presence of this demon, whose eyes glitter in the dark, much like a spider, it’s tongue whipping across its teeth as clawed fingers drag it’s blood to its mouth.

The demon flickers and Alec adjusts his grip, swinging his arm to the right, the seraph digging deep into its chest. He swaps hands, twisting the dagger which finally draws a hurt snarl and fists his other hand in the whispy hairs at the back of its neck and drags it down to knee it in the face.

Alec throws himself back as the demon sags, eyes feeling gritty as the night vision rune has very nearly run its course and scrambles for the other dagger. He just has enough time to-

Impossibly, his wrist is snatched in a firm grip and twisted, the witch light glinting along the sharp edge of the blade.

Alec grunts and grits his teeth against the pain of his own weapon burying itself in his side, fingers spasming from where they grip the demons collar.

“ALEC!”

The demon smirks and Alec feels his glare deepen, jaw working to bite back the sounds his injured body is desperate to make as the dagger is slowly drawn from his side, the grip around his hand making it impossible to let go of the weapon.

“Too slow.”

The dagger is plunged again and Alec chokes on his next stuttered breath. He’s on the ground before he’s aware of his knees hitting the wet pavement, (feels his _parabatai_ rune pulse with _fearpainanger_), and gasps weakly as he’s lifted by the neck as if he weighs nothing. With a flash of teeth, the demon tightens his grip and then Alec hits the wall, the air knocked out of his lungs.

Dazed, he tried to get his bearings, tried to breathe and couldn’t, the pain was deep and not lessening and there was a lot of blood. His hands hover uselessly, knowing he needs to put pressure somewhere (stem the bleeding, bring clarity back to his foggy mind, remo- don’t remove the dagger!), but instinct has him shying away, the pain too great to make it worse, (_oh god, Jace, Magnus- It hurts so much! Mom, Izzy, please make it stop!_)

Distantly, Alec’s aware of a ferocious snarl, the sound of a body colliding with another, the uneven slapping of puddles of water as Jace staggers toward him. But Alec loses focus as the world dips and sways and Alec can’t bite back the wounded cry in time, his body seizing as dirty water mixed with ichor splashes into the wound.

“-..rry, fuck, Alec. Alec! Open your eyes! Stay with me, Parabatai.”

Jace palms Alec’s cheeks with wet, clammy hands, tapping and stroking to try and rouse a response. His _parabatai_ rune burns and it takes all his strength not to double over with the pain and _scream_, because it also feels like it’s ice cold, a thousand needles straight to the soul and his body is trying to stop the empty void but failing; -oh god, is this what Alec had to endure when he died at Lake Lyn? How could Alec not tell him the extent of it?

Alec heaves a raw gasp as Jace applies careful pressure and scrambles to grasp at his wrist, his shoulder. His eyes are finally open, but they’re unseeing as they track around the sewer, to Jace and away, “Oh god, p-_please_. It hurts, it _hurts_-stop. Let go, _letgoletgoithurtsletgo_. Jace. _Jace_, please! I can’t-” Fingers scrabble ineffectually against Jace, trying to remove the pressure but also bring him closer, his legs kicking and dragging across the ground, the words punching out of his chest in agonised litany.

Jace’s cheeks are wet, just as there are tears sliding down Alec’s temples and he thumbs them away. He offering Alec reassurance and strength but he doesn’t know if any of it is reaching him through the pain. Simon drops to his knees beside them, phone to his ear, his voice rising and falling in panic, (and Jace is kicking himself for not calling for help sooner.) There’s a deep cut forcing his left eye shut, as though the demon tried to gouge it out and his right arm is jutting in an awkward angle.

And Jace knows Alec is priority at this point in time -_he’s dying! Please don’t take my Parabatai, by the Angel, I beg you.- _but he wants to help Simon too, but Simons standing and suddenly there is a burst of golden light and Simon is gripping his shoulder, a feral snarl ripping from his throat at the newcomer. _It’s Magnus, Simon what are you doing?!_

Magnus throws a hand up, anticipating Simons reaction. A flow of blue magic envelops the vampire, wrist rotating to feed a torrent of fresh air around him, the dark red haze fading from his eyes and Simon sinks back to his knees, left hand fisted in his hair as he breathes the fresh air deeply.

Desperation darkens Magnus’ face, but his jaw is set. He smooths a hand through Alec’s hair and tries to smile as fevered eyes find his. A pained moan is all that Alec can manage and Magnus quickly presses a lingering kiss to his sweaty forehead, magic spilling from his lips to encase his husband.

Alec’s eyes close, the tension finally leaving his body and Jace feels the pain of the _Parabatai _rune mute. It’s still present, but Jace can finally form a proper thought. Magnus shifts, hovering both hands above Alec’s chest, fingers moving to constantly feed healing magic. Jace is startled to notice, that even though Magnus isn’t looking at him, his eyes are unglamoured.

“Jace? Can you stand? I know it hurts, but I need you to keep pressure. My magic’s doing what it can to keep him stable, but I have no control of an angelic weapon. Catarina and Brother Zachariah are ready for him, but we need to move now.”

”What about Simon?” His voice is rough. He doesn’t bother wiping his tears.

”It’s alright, Jace, I got him.” Clary’s hands kneed Jace’s shoulders, before she’s helping him stand, both making sure his grip stays steady, then she’s moving away to help Simon.

Magnus nods, face pale, shoulders drawing tight and Jace places his free hand on Magnus’, offering him some of his strength. Sighing in relief, Magnus guides them through the portal.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Second part is nearly complete.
> 
> If you couldn’t tell, my brain just wanted to write the traumatic bit, ugh, haha. I’ve been sitting on this for a while, but I’m quite happy with it.


End file.
